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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23964085">To Shave or Not to Shave</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayfire/pseuds/Jayfire'>Jayfire</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Coronation day, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M, Scruffy Arthur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:20:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23964085</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayfire/pseuds/Jayfire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>(Both? Both is good.)</p><p>Merlin and Morgana have different ideas of how a king should look on his coronation day. Arthur's just tired of his stubble growing in and out as they argue.</p><p>Inspired by <a href="https://schweetheart.tumblr.com/post/616971189242462208/okay-so-i-was-writing-fic-for-scruffy-pendragon">This</a> tumblr post.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>141</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Scruffy Pendragon Fest</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To Shave or Not to Shave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/schweet_heart/gifts">schweet_heart</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is entirely schweet's fault. I saw the tumblr post while I was casually scrolling, and then 15 minutes later, I'd written this monstrosity. It was just supposed to be funny comment. How did this happen???</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"No! He must be clean-shaven!" Morgana yelled, her eyes flashing gold on the last word, and the short stubble lining Arthur's cheeks receded back into his face.</p><p>"EXCUSE YOU, <em>I</em> happen to like the scruffy look better," Merlin retorted, eyes ablaze. Arthur felt his stubble push through his skin again.</p><p>"Honestly Merlin, it's bad enough you've let his hair grow so long. With that scruff, he looks positively disheveled! It's undignified! He can't go to his coronation like that!" The beard receded.</p><p>"No one will care! The people love him and his ceremonial robes make him look kingly enough!" A pout, and the beard grew back.</p><p>Arthur massaged his temple. They'd been at it for nearly an hour now, and there didn't seem to be an end in sight. Time for him to interrupt before he missed his own coronation.</p><p>"Guys? If you've quite finished-"</p><p>But Merlin and Morgana ignored him.</p><p>"Beard!"</p><p>"No Beard!"</p><p>"Yes. BEARD!"</p><p>"No beard!"</p><p>Honestly. Was no one going to ask his opinion? The constant growth-recession-regrowth was uncomfortable. It was itchy!</p><p>"I'm his consort and I like the beard so, <em>there</em>!"</p><p>"I'm his sister and his heir! If I say no beard, his face shall be clean-shaven!"</p><p>"Will you both shut up?!” Arthur shouted in his best approximation of Sir Leon drilling the most insubordinate squires. Immediately, Merlin’s mouth snapped shut, Morgana’s lips quirking into a smirk at having had the last word in their petty spat. Arthur rolled his eyes. It was just a bit of facial! It really wasn’t a big deal!</p><p>But apparently it was. Before Arthur could do or say anything else, Merlin caught sight of Morgana’s smirk. He stomped his foot in frustration, crossing his arms tightly in front of his chest, eyes narrowing. A quick flash of gold and the beard was back on Arthur’s face. A satisfied smile grew on Merlin’s lips. Morgana rounded on him in outrage, her own eyes burning brightly, and the beard disappeared again. Arthur dragged a hand down his face as their argument started up again wordlessly. He glanced out the window and swore when he saw the sun’s position in the sky.</p><p>With an impressive beard now gracing his face (it was thicker than even Gwaine’s luscious mane!), Arthur sighed once, and turned back to the quarrelling sorcerers. He took two steps in their direction before stopping and crossing his arms. Chaneling his best imitation of Gaius, he arched one eyebrow and gave Merlin and Morgana his most disapproving look. Instantly, the spell-casting stopped, and they looked at him attentively. Good. Finally, he’d put an end to this.</p><p>“My coronation is in five minutes, I'm still in my pyjamas, and frankly, I couldn't care less about the state of my beard. Can't you two come to a comprise of some sort? I just want to get this over with so we can have a picnic in the woods for lunch."</p><p>Merlin and Morgana rounded on him wearing identical expressions of shock, as if they had forgotten he was there. Arthur watched as they turned back to each other, Merlin's brows creasing and Morgana's eyes narrowing. They shared each other down for a long moment before nodding at each other. Arthur sighed in relief. Finally.</p><p>Morgana left his chambers and Merlin quickly helped him into his ceremonial garb as Arthur wondered what their comprise was. If he had to guess, it was that he would be clean-shaven for that morning's official coronation ceremony and "scruffy" for the evening feast.</p><p>What he hadn't anticipated was just how stubborn Merlin and Morgana both were. He should've known it would end in something like this. At least no one (other than Gwaine, but that didn't count) made fun of him for it. Rather the opposite, in fact.</p><p>Arthur's coronation look garnered quite a few stares, yes, but it also became Camelot's newest and hottest fashion trend. For months afterwards, men across the kingdom could be seen sporting Arthur's signature facial-hair style.</p><p>For, on his coronation day, Arthur's face was half-covered in a week's worth of stubble, half clean-shaven.</p>
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